#18 Directional Complements 来&去 | China’s Most Controversial Street Foods | HSK 3

Would you try century egg, duck blood, pig brain… or bird’s nest?
In this episode, we explore 5 surprising Chinese foods while you learn one of the most useful grammar points in Mandarin: directional complements (来 / 去 / 过来 / 过去).

But this episode isn’t just about “unusual food”.
It’s about understanding how culture shapes taste, daily habits… and even the way people speak.

Today you’ll learn how to describe movement naturally in Chinese: bringing things closer, moving away, or talking about direction in real-life situations. These structures are essential if you want to sound more natural and go beyond textbook Chinese.

What you’ll learn
• Grammar: how to use 来 / 去 and compound complements like 过来 / 过去.
• Practical usage: describe movement, direction, and actions in everyday conversations.
• Real context: a dialogue at HSK3 level with natural expressions.
• Culture: a closer look at Chinese food culture and why some dishes may seem surprising from a Western perspective.

Challenge
Would you try any of these foods? And can you write a sentence using 来 or 去? Leave it in the comments and we’ll help you improve it.

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Chapters

• (00:00:15) - Beef and Eggs, Stinky tofu and Pork
• (00:02:25) - Directional Complementations in Chinese
• (00:09:00) - Manager Wang's illness
• (00:10:44) - Three types of Chinese food
• (00:15:29) - Chinese Basics
• (00:21:33) - Directional Completions